Pushing back

“All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

What does it mean to live in the 'authority' of Christ? It is both the ability to use God's power and the 'permission' to use it. We might believe we are given permission to use his power, but we might feel very 'unable' to do so. This is nothing but a lie from the pits of hell, my friends! We are given both - the ability and the 'authority' or 'permission' to tap into, live within, and use his power. To live 'powerless' lives is never the will of the Father - his will is for us to have ALL authority.

Did Jesus encounter times, places, and people who questioned his authority? Absolutely! Demons didn't want to submit to his authority, but a bunch of pig farmers lost their entire herd to one command to 'come out'! Sickness, crippling disease, and all manner of 'uncleanness' might have left many as outcasts from society for a long, long time, but none of these stood a chance when they encountered his authority! Insecure religious leaders who thought they had 'arrived' in the realm of their knowledge and power were left dumbfounded when he spoke with the power and authority of the Father who sent him. 

We oftentimes 'operate' far below our potential as children of God, choosing a 'powerless' position in the face of our enemy's opposition. When we do, he wins! The power and authority of God Almighty resides within each of us - his presence is always with us - even when we might not feel or 'sense' it. God doesn't abandon his children - he commissions them, gives them both the POWER and the AUTHORITY to use it! If someone gave you the keys to the biggest box store, telling you that you could enter at will, take whatever you needed, and reorder all that was necessary for your life without any payment required, would you use them? Well, God gave us the keys to the Kingdom, and we might just hesitate to use them!

The authority we are given is 'backed' by the power of God. Authority without power to back it up is really nothing more than wishful thinking. If we have such 'powerful backing', isn't it time we started to use it to push back the forces of darkness in and around our lives? Just askin!

Divided Loyalty?

And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (I Peter 5:5-6)

Elder or younger - all relate to one another in humility - this is God's plan. Pride gets the dander up quicker than anything else and it disrupts any movement toward unity or peace faster than a speeding train. Elder isn't to "lord it over", nor is younger to challenge the authority set over them. If we'd just get this right, maybe we'd stand half a chance at changing the course of this world!

When our 'loyalty' is divided between God and this world, chaos is sure to ensue. Look at what James tells us, "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world." (James 4:8) We can be caught up in this world's attractions, but they only serve to pull us away from God and each other. 

Where to humble people reside? Under the might power of the God who indwells their spirit. How do we realize this type of 'closeness' to God? We spend time with him - giving him priority in our lives. This might be why Peter reminds us that when we correctly submit to the authority placed over our lives, there seems to be a peace that permeates our gatherings. Choose to live outside of that authority and the disorder this brings is palpable.

Could it be that the disorder we feel at times in our lives is an indicator there is something wrong with where we have placed ourselves? Perhaps we are submitting to an authority who has no right to 'rule' - ourselves. We follow our own lusts and desires, then wonder why our world seems to be a little more chaotic than usual. Repent of that misplaced loyalty and we find order returns. No matter what we believe about our ability to 'live right', apart from God, we only make 'half-wise' decisions.

Worries and cares go hand-in-hand with living outside of the authority of God in our lives. When we correctly align our heart, soul, and mind with his authority, the cares we used to carry all on our own are born by him. We find our load gets a little lighter and our way a little clearer. The wise are never afraid to admit they need a leader - the proud resist every attempt to 'align' their lives under any authority other than they own. Just sayin!

Life Hack #31: Throttle Down on the Control Factor

Life Hack #31: 

Your life is not your own - it is merely on loan. Life choices may be made in haste, but the consequences will be around a long time to come. In the movie, "Rebel Without a Cause", a bunch of emotionally confused and morally rebellious youth reveal absolute defiance against all authority and repeated "bad choices". The truth portrayed in the death of a best friend is really a reminder to all that without warning life can turn upside down. Today's choices will affect more than today's outcomes. Rebel a little here and there, repeat the behavior, and before long, you are living a life that is really not close to God at all.

Fear God, dear child—respect your leaders; don’t be defiant or mutinous. Without warning your life can turn upside down, and who knows how or when it might happen? (Proverbs 24:21-22)

Most of us would not classify our 'rebellion' as outright defiance - that open discontent with someone or something, or outright daring and bold resistance to it. Ever heard anyone say, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside"? They are being a little rebellious or defiant to some authority. Our 'rebellion' may not be "open", or outright bold, but is just as damaging to our character! Inward defiance is dangerous, for it sets down roots and begins to grow until it eventually finds a way of becoming expressed in our actions and attitudes.

Rebellion brings into play the questioning of traditional beliefs or norms. A rebel resists control by anyone other than himself. There is no desire to 'conform' inwardly or outwardly. A rebel seeks to take over control - to assume the authority belonging to another - because he believes he can do it better. Our list of "life hacks" has been long, but all are important. We must have a sound foundation for interpersonal relationships, a right respect for authority, and a proper focus on the one who really matters deals with the tendency of our heart to resist control. 

Our 'hacks' began with the idea of "tested principles" by which, when embraced, we will come to live "accountable" lives. If you look back at these principles, you will see a tie between how we treat others and ourselves being directly linked to the respect we give to God in our lives. If we won't submit to his authority as primary, all these sayings are merely that - sayings. If we take his authority as that which is the only one worth submitting to, we are on our way to developing a strong foundation for living thoroughly accountable lives.

We end with the attitude of heart and mind which reflects our own desire to be in control! It is a dangerous thing to hold onto the reins of our life so tightly that we become "rebels" and "deviants". Our lives will be turned upside down if we continue to hold so tightly to our own ways of doing things - the need to be in control overriding all sense and sensibility. Authority is evident all around us and what we choose to do with it matters. How we choose to submit, or resist is determined not in the immediacy of the moment, but in the "set" of the heart and mind in the long term. When our heart is right with God, we find rebellions against authority (even his) are a little more difficult. Focus determines heart direction - stay focused on Jesus and your heart's tendency toward rebellion and deviance will soon begin to have less pull in your life. Just sayin!

Discussing (Read: Arguing) with God

Have you ever been in one of those 'discussions' (read: arguments) with God where you are explaining to him why it is you MUST have things a certain way, or absolutely 'need' something so badly? I have 'argued' with God on many an occasion - 'discussing' all the ins and outs of why it is I feel the course I am about to take is the 'best' one for me. I forget who is in control of the bigger picture on occasion. How about you?

Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” (I Samuel 8:6-9)

This was the case with the Nation of Israel as Samuel was nearing the end of his life. He had functioned as a loyal and gracious prophet to the people, but when his sons were appointed as part of the succession plan, the people were none too happy. Why? The sons didn't follow in their father's footsteps - they were greedy, and they 'perverted justice'. In other words, they were lousy leaders! So, what do you think the Israelites asked for? A 'king' just like all the other nations around them had. They wanted a guy on the throne to rule over them.

It amazes me how we can see things as 'so perfect' but be totally oblivious to what the thing we are seeking with such great effort will actually produce in our lives. The nations who had a 'physical king' upon the throne were not as well cared for as Israel was when serving the one who was supposed to be the one on 'the throne' of their lives - Jehovah God. They actually go so far as to 'demand' a king to 'judge' them. Aye! When we see things through rose-colored glasses, we rarely see things clearly!

You might know the rest of the story, but just in case you don't, it goes something like this... When there was an 'agreeable' and 'just' king upon the throne, they were happy. When the king was a little less agreeable and perhaps a little unjust in his dealings, they were grieved by his rulings. When there was peace, the land was prosperous, and all was well. When there was hardship and calamity all around, everyone bemoaned the one who ruled them.

God has to deal with a whole lot of 'fickle' choices on our behalf. It would be wonderful if we'd just let him sit on the throne of our lives, but we have this 'free-will' thing that gets in the way. We 'argue' why our choices will 'work best' but forget about what happened the last time we demanded our own way. I imagine God must just shake his head on occasion as he hears us making all these 'lame arguments' for why we need something he knows we will regret in the end. It would be far wiser to just stop 'arguing' (read: discussing) and let him be on the throne! Just sayin!

By what Power and Right?

Then the Jews asked Him, “What can You do to show us You have the right and the power to do these things? (John 2:18)  I dunno about you, but if someone changed water into wine right in front of my eyes, and not even the cheap stuff, but the top of the line wine, I might not be asking this type of question! I think the Jewish leaders were intimidated and riddled with all manner of confusing 'impressions' about Christ. They didn't recognize him as the Messiah - the Redeemer. They didn't trust his works as those of a man godly in every manner, but rather considered his works as potentially from the one who ruled the pits of hell. They demanded the proof that Jesus had both the right and the power to do great miracles in their midst. Trust me on this, my friends, if Jesus were standing right in the middle of some crowds today, doing some form of miracle, there would be equally as much skepticism!

Some will believe almost immediately, even without the tremendous miracles, because their hearts are open to receiving the love and hope Christ provides. Others will want to see a few more examples of Jesus' power in order to make a firm commitment that he must be someone pretty special, but they will not entirely understand just how special he is. There will be a great multitude that will say Jesus is some form of 'con artist' - here to take people for their money or rope them into some form of indentured servitude, robbing them of all sense of independence as they 'drink the kool-aid', so to speak. Believe it or not, there will be others who wouldn't even turn their head to consider him at all. Why is there such a mixed impression of Jesus in this world? I think it is probably because we all come to believe or trust in varying ways. Is that wrong? Only if you never get to the place of believing or trusting!

What gives Jesus the RIGHT to ask for our lives? To ask for our heart? To ask for our trust? To answer these questions, one must first answer the question: "Who do you say Christ is?" This was something the Jewish leaders struggled with a lot while Christ walked this earth all those years ago. He could have been a great prophet, come to direct their way a little. He could have been some man playing tricks to get the crowds incited against some set of 'religious belief system' of the time. He perhaps was a man inhabited by some spirit from the dark underworld. The possibilities were endless when you stop to think about it. The leaders of the day had a hard time accepting him as God with a Bod - that's for sure! The RIGHT to ask for our lives and complete trust, yielding hearts and minds to his transforming power really is answered in that one statement. He was and is God with a Bod! Period.

What gives Jesus the POWER to do things way beyond our imagining? Things outside of our ability - things we almost find hard to believe ever could or would happen. His POWER is linked to his RIGHT as the Son of the Living God. He is God, the Creator of the universe - so all power is inherent in him. His POWER is what sets minds right, makes hard hearts pliable and yielded. His POWER does things harder than turning water into wine - because turning a hardened, calloused, stubborn heart into a pliable, worshipful, and yielded heart is way harder! If you have even one iota of stubbornness within you, you know just how hard it can be to 'convince' that stubborn place to yield, much less 'change' that stubborn part of you! His position is that of being at the right hand of the Heavenly Father - his power is the result of who he is - the only Son of God. His right stems from WHO he is.

Answer the WHO question first. Then you will come to understand the authority of all that Jesus does in your life. Really, the leaders were asking by what authority Jesus was acting. It wasn't theirs, and they believed themselves to be the ultimate authority of their world. Sound like anyone else you know? I thought I could function as the ultimate authority of my worlds, but let me assure you - nothing changed quite like it did once I allowed a change of authority in my life. If we want to understand the POWER of God, we first understand he has all RIGHT to act as he does within our lives. We accept him for WHO he is and then we begin to see him reveal himself in ways never before seen! Just sayin!

He can't back that up!

I used to watch those old swash-buckler movies where they would sword fight. The musketeers would banish all the bad scoundrels from the land and people would celebrate from being under some oppressor. There are lots of oppressive forces just seeking to keep us under their rule or domain. We are warned to be on guard against those forces. To be on guard signifies the alertness of spirit and mind that immediately recognizes anything that is not truth and rejects it as such. We are surrounded on all sides by that which is untrue - there may be elements of truth, but at the core, that which presents itself as light may not always be light! Satan is a real enemy - but he is limited in his power over the child of God. He may be the tempter, the deceiver, and the accuser of man, but his power is limited by the fact that each child of God is protected by God himself.

We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can't lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it's only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God's Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles. (I John 5:18-21)

As the tempter of the brethren, Satan works overtime to provide ample distractions that are designed to stimulate desires within us that will get us entwined in activities and pursuits that are not the best for us. Our heart has a way of betraying us - it exposes our real desires and areas where our determination to serve Jesus with obedience is less than fully committed to his authority. As the enemy of our soul sees those weak areas, he uses them for his advantage - to attempt to get us to love those things that are both outside of God's priorities for our life and outside of those things that bring honor to him. Seduction is simply being led away - there is something in front of us that appeals to that which is really at the heart of our being.

Satan is the number one authority on rebellion - but he does not have the market cornered! He has a lot of company in that "rebellious" ring! Every time we choose our own way, we are really choosing who will be in authority in our lives. That is the nature of rebellion - WE want authority! One thing to keep in mind - authority without the power or ability to back it up is really no authority at all. Satan is really without authority when it comes to the child of God. That is because his power has been destroyed by the cross. Sin is, and always has been, a question of which particular authority we will listen to - Self, Satan, or God. Whenever we choose any other authority than God, we are asking that flawed authority to back up that authority with some form of power. 

The power of Satan is limited by the hand of God. The power of self-desire is limited by the investment we make into elevating self over any other authority in our lives. At best, that "limiting" will-power or self-effort we have over self-desire is minimal. We need a more powerful authority in our lives - therefore, we need God's authority to rule. Satan works to deceive us. I think this is his greatest weapon in his arsenal. He has many lies. Have you ever noticed how effective he is in the use of those lies? He brings the exact lie that fits the exact circumstance or choice we find ourselves in. We are presented with three choices at every moment of decision in life - Satan only wants us to embrace the choices that don't align us with God's authority or power. We can choose to believe Satan's lie, our own self-deceiving desires that are not placed under God's authority, or the reliable authority of God. There is only one authority that is truly backed with the power to accomplish anything of value - God's.

As Satan came before God in heaven one day, God asked him what he'd been up to. Satan's immediate response was that he'd been out, going to and fro throughout the earth, taking in all the activities of man. God's next question may confuse you a little - he asks Satan if he'd considered the activities of one of his children, Job. Now, I don't know how that makes you feel - but for some, we'd wonder if God actually loved Job! In our minds, we'd think, "If you really loved Job, you'd never want Satan to consider him for one moment!" The question is telling in that Job immediately answers, "Yes, I have!" When you understand that Satan is not concerned with the activities of those that don't serve God, but that he is intently aware of the activities of those that do, you understand God's question! He knows Satan wants nothing more than to deceive, tempt and try his hardest to get Job to compromise his loyalty to God!

At best, Satan is nothing more than our accuser, one who attempts to bring deception, and the opportunities to tempt us into sin. At every opportunity, he is "considering" our actions - hoping to present us with one opportunity that will drive a wedge in between us and God. Little does he know that his authority has no backing! His power has been broken - we are "God-protected" beings! As such, we need fear no evil. No temptation presents itself without a way of escape. No deception is offered without the opposing truth of the Word to contradict its lies. At best, Satan offers "clever facsimiles" of the truth - we have the "original" to counter his facsimile! There is comfort and security in knowing that we have no need to fear one who possesses no power! We will do well to remember the truth that all of Satan's power is bound by the hand of God. He may tempt, bring accusation and offer deceiving alternatives to every truth we embrace from God, but his power is really not there to back up his efforts to dissuade the soul committed to the purposes of God! Just sayin!

Not another minute!

Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help. (Psalm 27:14 ERV)

We've discussed this before, but I don't like to wait. The time it takes to "wait" in line, or for slow traffic to clear while others in front of me gawk at a fender bender is almost unbearable to me. Why is it so hard to wait - because it is not very "productive" time! It wasn't until I was well into my adult years (and I mean "well into") that I began to realize there might actually be a purpose in waiting when it is waiting on the right stuff. 

Waiting for the Lord's help is one of those "right things" I need to be able to do. In fact, when I choose to wait on his help in my life, I realize something I actually need - strength and courage! Strength for the long haul and courage to face whatever the next challenge is that is just around the bend. Strength comes as we wait - not in us charging ahead under our own power or determined to do things our own way. Waiting involves us being willing to admit the "power" we need is something we don't possess on our own.

Waiting also involves a good deal of courage, because feeling the pressure begin to raise as we wait isn't always all that comfortable. We often charge ahead because we didn't want to deal with even the slightest bit of discomfort in our lives. Think about that traffic jam for a moment. All these "looky-loos" who are rubber-necking to get a view of the cars involved in the accident aren't paying very good attention to their own driving. They are too busy trying to make assumptions about someone else's driving that caused that accident. It takes courage to pay attention to our own course and not to gawk around, making assumptions about another's course in life.

Waiting assumes we have the time. With an elderly mother at home, I sometimes need to make a quick trip to the grocery store to just pick up a few things, but mom doesn't want to go for such short trips. I usually get the items I need, trying to stay focused on the "list" and then head for the register. Don't you know those are the times when they only have ONE register open - except all those "self-serve" ones!!! I have just enough to not qualify for the "speedy lane" and too much to go through the self-serve because I couldn't bag it all on that tiny pedestal beside the register. Alas, I must wait. But...my grocer is the best! They SEE me waiting as the third person in line and within seconds of me standing there they open another register.

What happened there? The management of the store anticipated my need. In much the same way, God knows our needs - he anticipates when waiting goes beyond the point which requires immediate action. Then HE takes the action! When we give God the authority to lead our lives, we also give him the authority to know when the right amount of time waiting has been accomplished! Just sayin!

Principle 30: Drop Those Reins

James Dean starred in a 1955 movie, "Rebel Without A Cause", depicting a bunch of emotionally confused and morally rebellious youth.  Dean portrayed a youth arriving at a new high school, falling for a girl, fighting with others who bullied him, and totally rebellious to both his parents and school officials. It was "cutting edge" back then, pointing out the secret desires of the teenage youth of the time, the "not so perfect" relationships of those 50's parents who didn't have a home life as perfect as June and Ward Cleaver, and the shift in social "norms" just about to bust out into full force in the 60's.  Defiance and emotionally charged "bad choices" are observed repeatedly throughout the film, but the truth portrayed on the screen in the death of his friend is really a reminder to all that without warning life can turn upside down.  In truth, your life is not your own - it is merely on loan.  Life choices may be made in haste, but the consequences will be around a long time to come.

Fear God, dear child—respect your leaders; don’t be defiant or mutinous.

Without warning your life can turn upside down, and who knows how or when it might happen?  (Proverbs 24:21-22 MSG)

Defiance ranges from open discontent with someone or something, to outright daring and bold resistance.  We get the little saying "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside" from this idea of being a little rebellious or defiant to authority.  It is not "open", nor is it outright bold, yet is just as damaging to our character!  Inward defiance is dangerous, for it sets down roots and begins to grow until it eventually finds a way of becoming expressed in our actions and attitudes.

Rebellion may encompass some of the same meaning, but it also brings into play this questioning of tradition - challenging the "norms" of values which have been handed down.  A rebel resists control by anyone other than himself. There is no desire to inward or outwardly conform.  A rebel seeks to take over control - to assume the authority belonging to another - because he believes he can do it better.  

Our last of the principles put forth in this list of thirty principles by which we are to live in order to have a sound foundation for interpersonal relationships, a right respect for authority, and a proper focus on the one who really matters deals with the tendency of our heart to resist control.  Remember - our thirty principles began with the idea of these being "tested principles" by which we will be able to live "accountable" lives.  If you look back at these principles, you will see a tie between how we treat others and ourselves as it applies to our respect for the authority we give to God in our lives.  If we won't submit to his authority as primary, all these sayings are merely that - sayings.  If we take his authority as that which is the only one worth submitting to, we are on our way to developing a strong foundation for living thoroughly accountable lives.

No wonder Solomon ends with the attitude of heart and mind which reflects our own desire to be in control!  It is a dangerous thing to hold onto the reins of our life so tightly that we become "rebels" and "deviants".  In fact, he warns clearly that our lives will be turned upside down if we continue to hold so tightly to our own ways of doing things - the need to be in control overriding all sense and sensibility.  Authority is evident all around us and what we choose to do with it matters.  How we choose to submit or resist is determined not in the immediacy of the moment, but in the "set" of the heart and mind in the long term.  When our heart is right with God, we find rebellions against authority (even his) as a little more difficult.  Focus determines heart direction - stay focused on Jesus and your heart's tendency toward rebellion and deviance will soon begin to have less pull in your life. Just sayin!

King of the Hill

There are times in life when we need a whole lot of convincing before we will ever relinquish the "position" we have assumed.  It reminds me of the days when I was a small child and we played the game "king of the hill".  We'd have some mound of soil we'd scamper up.  First one to the top was king until somebody else could push, pull, or somehow get the current "king" off the hill.  We'd play for hours, proclaiming proudly, "I am king of the hill".  The ones who were really good at this knew how to "dig in their heals" and really give us a run for our money as we'd try to "de-throne" them.  Hmmm...I wonder if we sometimes try to play "king of the hill" with God?

Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything.   Nothing and no one can upset your plans.  You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?'  I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head.  You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking.  Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'  I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!  I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise!  I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."  (Job 42:1-6 The Message)

God and Job have spent about the last 3-4 chapters talking back and forth.  Mostly, God did the talking!  As a matter of fact, he basically told Job to just hush and listen so he could help Job get the right perspective!  Just as we used to play "king of the hill" with our friends, I think there are times when we are trying to do the same thing with God - by second-guessing his plans and purposes in our lives.  Look at what Job describes as the "means" by which we actually do this:

- We have a whole lot of ignorance about the issue.  In other words, we don't have clarity, so we just assume things are a certain way.  As you may have heard once or twice in your life...assuming is dangerous business.  Whenever we form an opinion, or simply charge ahead into action without having all the facts, we are in danger of showing just how ignorant we are!  Job complained bitterly for many chapters about how God's plans could ever work out for good in his life.  He'd seen his walls crashing in around him - he was being pulled from all sides and was no longer "king of his hill".  Disease, sickness, financial ruin, family troubles, marital troubles, and even the loss of his reputation had been his undoing.  Anytime we don't have clarity, we are in danger of stumbling upon something we never saw in the first place!

- We second-guess God's purposes by confusing the issues.  We often see things from a very limited perspective.  We are inclined to believe something simply because it "fits" this perspective.  For example, when we are in pain, how do we view life?  Is it all rosy and good?  Hardly!  In fact, we manage to stub that painful toe over and over again, don't we?  The nightstand just seems to be the issue.  The fact that we don't turn on a light never comes to mind!  We simply keep focused on the pain and cannot see the dangers right in front of us when we do!  If we refuse to turn on the light then we reason we need to move the nightstand!!!  We get confused easily.  When there is even a small amount of light, the nightstand becomes clearly visible and we are able to see the proximity of our big toe to the pain-invoking leg of the nightstand!  Sometimes (most of the time) we just need a little more light!

- We don't get it "first-hand" from the source.  We live by "rumors" of how things could have been caused instead of asking straight-out to the one who really knows.  We call this speculation.  Anytime we think we have God figured out, we are merely guessing!  Anytime we form a belief without having sufficient knowledge of the facts - we are speculating or forming conjectures.  The problem with this - when we don't have all the facts, we often are missing the critical elements we need to be able to interpret the issue!  I have been guilty of this way too much in my own life.  I "jump" to conclusions faster than I'd like to admit!  I find it is the easiest bit of "exercise" I do in life!!!  The danger in not getting to the "source" of the issue is living with half-baked ideas of the situation.  God is the only source I will trust - so in learning to go to him with the issue first, I am learning to "jump" less!

- Last, but definitely not least, we live on rumors instead of going to the source.  It is like a dog licking up the crumbs under the table.  He gets a little idea of what the entire meal was like, but he really does not have the enjoyment of having participated in the full meal!  Job had a lot of friends who assisted him in believing a few rumors - bringing him crumbs from their own experiences.  The fact remains - we all experience life a little differently.  Even two people with the same "disease" don't experience it the same way.  I had two kids with chickenpox just weeks away from each other.  One sailed through it, the other spent her day in the bathtub trying to get relief from the itching in the oatmeal baths!  Each had the "same" disease, but each had a differing experience (different crumbs under their tables, so to speak).  When all we have is the crumbs - we don't have the facts which come through the actual experience.  Job had to learn to seek God's perspective in order to understand what he was experiencing - no one else's crumbs were quite able to provide that answer!

So, if you find yourself being a little too intent on being "king of the hill" in your life today, might I just challenge you to come down off your hill?  Digging in your heals and assuming you know why it is you are where you are right now is by your own effort or something you did in your life may not always be the reality.  In fact, as you take time to enthrone the right KING on the hill, you might just be given a perspective which dispels a few "rumors" you have been listening to which had steered you wrong!

Leave the driving to him

^24-26"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

(Matthew 16:24-26)

I remember driving with a friend of the family when I was about twelve.  The gentleman drove like none other that I have driven with since!  I was in the backseat, hanging on for dear life, and just hoping that we made it to his home sooner than later!  Not only did he drive a little faster than I'd been accustomed to, but he was kind of a "hopper" in his driving.  I don't really know how to describe it, but what he was doing was pushing down on the gas, lurching forward, then pulling back on the gas just as quickly.  It was like we were zooming, slowing, zooming, slowing, repeatedly!  If I had of known about whiplash at that age, I think I was a good candidate it for it!

Sometimes that is how we are in our walk - we mash down on the gas, zooming full-speed ahead, then almost without warning, pull back, cutting off all source of "energy" for the road ahead.  We make lunges forward, then almost stop on a dime without any warning.  Can you imagine how that must frustrate those that are along on this ride with us?  Not to mention, how much it must drive Jesus nuts to see us make a start, halt, make a start, halt, over and over again!

Jesus gives his disciples some advice here:  He is in the driver's seat - let him drive!  We try to do all the driving and wonder why we end up injured, off course, and in a mess of "traffic" in our lives.  Jesus makes it quite clear - he's not driving!  The driver controls the speed at which one travels, the course one takes, and the safety of all those in his vehicle.  When Jesus is in the driver's seat, there is not a whole lot of room for error!

Think about it - we go through all kinds of "self-help" adventures in our lifetime.  We commit to a diet, then blow it.  We join a gym, then "forget" to go.  We promise ourselves we won't get angry the next time somebody "does us wrong", then we fly off the handle at the slightest infraction.  We are just not good at helping ourselves!  We need a "driver" to get us to our destination.  

Jesus points out that it is in embracing where he is leading us that we realize the beauty of the journey.  When we embrace something, we are taking it gladly - there is an eagerness to our taking.  Willingness is all Jesus is asking for - the ability to avail ourselves of his leading is something that we struggle with because we struggle with willingly allowing anyone else to "lead" in our lives.  What God works with the most is a cheerful readiness for whatever he asks and wherever he takes us.  What we struggle with the most is the framework of our minds (the cheerfulness) and the fear of the unknown (being taken where we have not gone before)!

Here's what Jesus promises:

If he leads, we get there in one piece.

If he leads, we get to enjoy the journey along the way.

If he leads, we get to our destination not one minute too early or too late.

If he leads, we avoid the "traffic" jams of worry.

If he leads, we might even have the enjoyment of other traveling companions along the way to keep us company in our journey.

So, who is in the driver's seat?  You might be able to determine that by how many starts and stops you've been making along the way!  Running out of gas is a sure sign we are not being "driven", but are attempting to "drive"!